A Thing With Feathers
by hisui me
Summary: Lately Ichigo and Rukia have had trouble keeping the hollows in control, and to top it all off, a new student has become the hollows' favorite snack opportunity. Read and Review!
1. Arrival

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Bleach characters, but maybe I can work something out with Tite Kubo...

**CHAPTER 1: **

"Hi, are you Ana?"

I lifted my head and glanced up at the speaker, a tall, leggy girl with brown eyes and black hair trimmed into a shaggy bob. Pulling the earbuds out of my head and straightening my hunched back, I replied in my very best intelligent Japanese, "Sorry, what?"

The girl lifted her eyebrow in what I imagined to be a scornful expression as I sighed inwardly at my apparent lack of social graces. I wasn't usually so awkward around people, but I had just moved to a foreign country as an exchange student. Though I was proficient at the language, my lack of confidence had consigned me to a remote corner on a hallway bench. I tuned back in to what the girl was saying.

"You _are _Ana Kim, right? The American exchange student?"

This time I summoned a coherent response and collected my nerves before answering. "Ahm, yes. That's me." I wondered why this girl was bothering to talk to me; I wasn't exactly beautiful or obviously intelligent, and when she had approached me I had been deeply immersed in my copy of _Jane Eyre_ while absentmindedly bobbing my head to Evanescence. Definitely not the picture of Miss Potential Popularity, even if I did have the slight advantage of being exotic due to my status as a new arrival to the school and a foreign exchange student.

The girl nodded and folded her arms against her chest. "O.K. I'm Miruku, by the way. I'm supposed to be your guide for the next semester. Do you have any questions?" she asked kindly. I rumpled my mid-length brown hair, straightened for the occasion, and shrugged.

"Not really... well, could you show me where class I-3 meets for Orientation this afternoon? I got lost looking," I admitted shamefacedly.

Miruku smiled slightly and motioned for me to follow her. "No problem. It's this way." I stood, and we strolled down the hall. As we walked, Miruku pointed out various people milling about the hallway.

"That's Matsuda against the wall. He's in class I-2 with the girl next to him, Hana. Tatsuki and Orihime, you'll meet them later. They're in our class. Let's see, there's Chizuru in the glasses, watch it around her. She's a fanatical lesbo, though Tatsuki generally keeps her in line..."

We reached Room 370 and stopped next to a group of girls by the door. Miruku casually introduced me to them, and we fell into conversations about class assignments, new schedules, and the changes in the school uniforms. I was slightly confused on the last topic, since I had never seen the uniforms from the previous years. The girl next to me, Yuki, pulled out a sheet of paper and a pen and drew a rough representation of the subtle differences between last year's skirt and jacket and the present standard issue clothing.

"See, most schools have uniforms with a looser, longer top and a shorter skirt," she explained as she sketched the new example. "Now some schools are making changeovers to look more polished."

I looked down at my own uniform; it was probably the most polished item of clothing I owned to date.

"What do American school uniforms look like?" asked Tsunade, an ultra-petite girl with round glasses and an impish grin. I furrowed my brow and stroked my chin with an air of thoughtfulness, scrunching my eyes in great contemplation.

"Some are like Japanese uniforms," I answered slowly, adopting a scholarly tone. "But where I come from, they look like this." Grabbing the paper from Yuki, I drew a formless looking feed sack and presented it to the group. Tsunade's smile grew, and between fits of giggles Miruku shook her head and gave me a playful shove that sent me reeling into a knot of students behind me.

"Sorry," I told the girl I had bumped between snorts of laughter. We steadied each other, and I turned to walk back.

"So, are you the American exchange student?"

I sighed inwardly. The question seemed to plague my every move. Turning back, I smiled broadly at her and answered, "Yep, that's me." The girl scrutinized me carefully from head to toe, her head cocked at a quizzical angle. I shifted from one foot to the other uncomfortably, tugging at my jacket and waiting for the inspection to be over. Finally she looked up and held out her hand for me to shake.

"I'm Rukia Kuchiki, nice to meet you."

I accepted the handshake with a grin. "Nice to meet you, too. I'm Ana Kim"

"This is Ichigo and Chad," Rukia said, indicating the two boys leaning against the wall behind her. Chad, a burly monster who looked like a gorilla in need of a haircut, grunted in recognition. I turned to Ichigo, who scowled sourly, and thought better of my intended smile and friendly handshake. _Jeez_, I thought. _Some company._ Rukia looked at me and shrugged, and I did my best to show her that I wasn't offended. "So, Where in the U.S. are you from?" she asked.

"I'm from New York," I replied."Though my mom is French, and my dad is South Korean."

Ichigo raised an eyebrow, and Chad gave a derisive snort. I frowned slightly; evidentally, the Japanese and South Koreans disliked each other more than I had anticipated. My dad had warned me not to publicize his side of my genealogy too openly at first, but I had disregarded his advice, yet again to my diadvantage.

I looked over to Rukia, who just nodded thoughtfully. "I thought you looked a little Asian, but I couldn't place you."

Just then, Miruku appeared. "Ana, Orientation meeting is about to start. Coming?"

I followed behind her, listening as she chattered away. "Ichigo's kind of weird, especially since his mom died. That was years ago, though, and now he just keeps to himself and his friends. Chad's a bit of a troll, if you ask me, but he did get into the top ten percent of his class. Oh well. Here we are..."

I followed her into the classroom, glancing over my shoulder. Rukia was deeply involved in some sort of conversation with Ichigo and brandishing a small cellphone. Chad was nowhere in sight. I shook my head and sat down between Yuki and Tsunade.

* * *

"I'm telling you, something's not right. I sensed something strange about her, and now we have an order close to the school!" Rukia insisted. Ichigo held out his hand for the phone, and she handed it to him reluctantly.

"An order?" he asked after a moment. "Really? 'Cuz I'm looking at this, and the screen is blank." Handing the phone back to Rukia, he walked towards the classroom. "Come on, we'll be late."

Rukia was punching buttons on her phone, a puzzled expression overtaking her face. "But... it can't be. I just saw it. Did they-"

Ichigo sighed. "Rukia, someone is probably taking care of it. Otherwise I would be running after a hollow and Kon would be wreaking havoc. Let's go."

She grudgingly followed him into the room, grumbling inwardly. _I still think it doesn't hurt to check it out._ Spotting a chair near the door, she pulled it out and flopped into the seat. _After all, I did feel something..._ Impulsively, Rukia glanced in Ana's direction. She was talking to the boy behind her, but upon feeling someone's gaze on her, she looked up. Rukia quickly looked away, and Ana resumed her conversation. _Maybe I'm too jumpy, _Rukia thought. _But i could've sworn that there was something that she's not letting on about. _


	2. Exotic Tastes

I do not own any of the Bleach characters. I do, however, have totally legal artistic liscence.

**Chapter 2:**

A streamer of sunlight landed on my pillow, turning my world into a fiery burgundy. Opening my eyes, I groaned loudly and stretched my tired muscles; birds chirped cheerily in the distance overhead as cars whizzed past the apartment building below. I glanced at the clock. 9:45. Time for breakfast. The curtains billowed gracefully in the wind, rivers of blue-green silk with brilliant red streamers weaving around like dizzy fish. I stumbled from under the warm covers, reaching the other side of the room in less time than I was used to and closing the window left ajar to catch late night breezes. Scents of something reheated tingled in my nostrils as I tumbled downstairs for my ritual Saturday morning cereal and tea.

Luc's rough voice floated up the stairs followed by his mother's mellow murmur; I caught the last few words of her sentence upon zombie-walking into the room. Sandy smiled in greeting as her son, my host-brother, looked me up and down.

"You look awake," he commented in French. I grunted in reply and retrieved a clean bowl from the cupboard above the sink. As I turned to get the milk, Sandy pushed a takeout box across the table at me.

"Here, dear, try some of this. It's from that new Vietnamese restaurant across town." I looked at the food; it seemed like average Asian fare steeped in strong curry sauce. Reluctantly, I shuffled across the tile to the table.

"Is it good?" I asked. Luc gave a derisive snort and shook his head patronizingly.

"Would there be leftovers if it wasn't?" he replied in a tone that hinted subtly to what he thought of my intellectual capacity.

I scowled. Luc was only thirteen, yet he acted as though he were the sixteen-year-old. "I meant the restaurant, smartmouth." Disregarding the pair of chopsticks Sandy had placed in the container, I picked up a piece of meat with my fingers and chewed slowly. "This is nice," I said, cocking my head to one side. "What is it?"

Sandy opened her mouth but quickly closed it again; Luc seemed to be smothering himself into the crook of his arm. I paused in licking my fingers and stared at them quizzically. Somehow, the joke had passed me. Blinking owlishly, I regarded the lumps of food in the box on the table, then moved my gaze back to the others. Sandy seemed on the verge of saying something possibly unpleasant as Luc melted in hysterics with loud theatrics. My stomach knotted tightly, inexplicably, as I frowned at the questionable cuisine; finally, comprehension broke in a cold wave.

"Sandy," I said in quiet French. "did you say the restaurant was Vietnamese?"

Luc finally seemed to compose himself long enough to breathe. "So, Ana," he said. "How did you like your first taste of Shih Tzu?" He erupted again as I dashed for the upstairs bathroom.

* * *

"They're trying to make me bulimic, I swear," I muttered mutinously. Miruku clucked her tongue in friendly sympathy.

"More pocky?" she inquired. I shook my head violently and clutched my sides. The wind ripped through my cotton shirt, sending welcome shivers down my back. Giving up on keeping warm, I buried my face in my hands.

"I had a pet Shih Tzu, once," she continued. "It fell out from between the gaps in our balcony railing into rush hour traffic." She dug through the cardboard box and produced another biscuit stick. I peered at her from between my fingers.

"Do I really want to hear this?" I asked. Miruku shrugged and sucked her treat.

"I suppose not." The city clock on the electric display showed 1:37. "We should go down to the subway to meet them," she said. We walked in companionable silence for which I was grateful.

A voice behind made me turn. "Hey, Ana, MIRUKU! Wait up!" I scanned the crowd, scoping for a familiar face. Suddenly, Keiga Asano popped into my field of vision. Miruku looked eagerly towards him, but she averted her gaze when she realized I was watching her. Keigo came puffing closer into view.

"Hey! WASSUP?" I winced at the volume, still squeamish from my early morning encounter. Miruku feigned nonchalance at his presence by staring at the wall ten feet to his right.

"Nothing much. Waiting on Tatsuki and Orihime. You?"

Keigo wrinkled his forehead at Miruku's sudden apparent coolness as I stifled a giggle. Ah, for young love.

He turned to me. "You seem quiet today, Miss Tinuit. Whatevah could be the mattah?"

I giggled again. "Really, Keigo. Your British English is atrocious, and no matter how many times you try, you will never become Ewan McGregor."

Keigo winked conspratorially and leaned closer. "It's o.k.," he mock whispered. "I have something better up my sleeve." Miruku warranted that this needed a cool-calm-collected-I'm-obviously-not-your-type glance.

"Oh really," I acted surprised. "What would that be, sirrah?" The three of us must have seemed strange, gathered in a knot, our insubstantial fall clothing whipping in the early wintery breeze.

"I," he said dramatically. "Am the one and only Batman. Yes, don't be frightened, else I will have to revive you using," he pumped an imaginary muscle and did his best to look macho. "mouth to mouth. Ah, how you must lust after my sweet, gentle embrace."

"Explains a lot," Miruku said. "I always wondered why you disappeared during Calculus exams. Then again, you might be just vanquishing closet monsters."

Keigo feigned a hurt look. "Well, ladies, I must be off. Toodle-pip, Cheerio, my lassies! I will return to you once again soon." With that, he strode away to be swallowed by the crowd. I gazed at Miruku, who was busy sighing and staring moonishly into the distance.

"What?" she said upon returning to reality. I cocked my head.

"I hear he's single," I replied. Miruku blushed, then pointed at the clock behind me.

"Hurry, we're late!" she exclaimed. We raced to the entrance of the subway as the clock showed 1:53.

* * *

Ichigo stiffened, his eyes boring into Rukia. "You want me to do WHAT?"

Rukia's face hardened; glowering at Ichigo, she folded her arms across her chest. "Follow her." She held up a hand to halt any protests. "In Soul Reaper form, of course. I have a hunch that you'll pick up a few orders on the way anyways."

"Geez," he muttered. "So in addition to doing your job I have to stalk the new girl. Lovely." Yanking his jacket off of the desk chair, he stomped towards the hall. "Kon! Where are you?"

Rukia bristled slightly, her knuckles white. "If it's so much trouble," she commented acidly. "You can take a break now and check on it later. _Majesty_." Flopping onto the bed, she swallowed and glared at Ichigo's retreating back. _It's not like following Ana would be hard,_ she thought. _He acts like I'm making him travel to other planets or something._ She recalled the events of the past month. Ichigo had been cranky, yes, mainly from lack of sleep: hollows had been springing out of dark alleys practically every night. Sighing, she rubbed her eyes wearily. _What's making them so active?_ she silently wondered. Ana's face sprang into view. _Is it something about her...? _Switching on the T.V., she vacantly listened to a traffic report. _"An accident just outside Subway Station 3 occurred around 2:00 this afternoon. Police say that there was no apparent cause for the five car pile-up, and no one was seriously injured. Moving on, our weather for the following week..."_

The door opened, and Ichigo peered around the edge. "Anything new? I'm taking a nap. "

"Not a thing," Rukia replied. _Not a damned thing. _"I'll wake you up around seven."


End file.
